


Happy Valenklaine's Day 2021

by ItsNotEasyBeingQueen



Category: Glee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, Valentine's Day Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29145549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsNotEasyBeingQueen/pseuds/ItsNotEasyBeingQueen
Summary: My collection of fics for the 2021 Klaine/CC Valentine's Day Challenge.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 205
Kudos: 49
Collections: KlaineCCValentines2021





	1. Invisible String

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt song: Invisible String by Taylor Swift

Kurt feels like he’s spent half of his life running.

In high school, he ran down hallways and through parking lots to avoid being beaten by bullies. When the halls of McKinley High no longer provided a place to hide, he ran all the way from Lima to Westerville. 

It was in Westerville that he found he didn’t have to run alone anymore. Blaine took his hand and ran with him down a new hallway that first day. Although he let go at the end of the hall, Kurt couldn’t help but latch onto the connection – an invisible string, he’d think later, connecting him to this boy who sang and danced and cared and made Kurt feel tethered in the best way.

When he couldn’t find his place at Dalton, he ran back to McKinley, into the arms of his friends and onto a stage where he could be himself. It wasn’t long until Blaine ran after him, the string pulling them together once more.

He ran out of his junior prom in tears when he was elected as Prom Queen. Blaine ran after him again (literally, this time), and walked confidently beside him when he returned with his head held high.

Kurt planned to run to New York after graduation. When NYADA rejected him, it felt like the entire city had rejected him, too. It was Blaine who got him back on his feet and into his running shoes, trusting that the invisible string between them could stretch all the way to Bushwick.

All too soon, Kurt and Blaine both felt the string start to fray until it finally seemed to snap. They mended it once, but it broke again when Kurt felt like it was dragging him down by his throat instead of connecting him to his future.

Beginning one rainy, heartbreaking night, he ran alone. He ran down busy New York sidewalks and through college hallways and up and down subway station stairs. Though he was by himself, he swore he felt the ghost of someone running beside him now and again – there one second, gone the next. He couldn’t figure out if the ghost was chasing him or if he was chasing it, but he finally recognized its shape and knew what, or rather _who_ , was missing beside him.

Life had become tangled. That happens with strings sometimes. It takes patience, work, and determination to undo the knots and mend the frayed sections, but it can be done.

His running carried him back to Ohio, the tether beckoning him once more. But now, Blaine appeared to be tied to someone else. Or was he?

Something in Walter’s words that day at the Lima Bean finally broke through the jumbled mess in Kurt’s heart. “The only thing worth doing is going toward love. Don’t waste time double-guessing…Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

There it was – the invisible string, the tether, the undeniable pull in his soul that could only be satisfied by being near the heart irreplaceably attached at the other end. The undoing of all the knots and twists created by fear and anger and misunderstandings and bad timing was within his reach, but it would take two sets of hands to make things right. He had to go. Now.

Rushing out the door, he turned left and started to run. He was half a block away from the coffee shop when he fleetingly remembered his car in the parking lot, but it was too late. The string was pulling, pulling, pulling, and he couldn’t bear to offer any resistance. Blaine’s apartment was a three short blocks away. He ran faster.

The closer he got to Blaine, the more he could feel the insistent tug on his heart. It all made sense now. 

Ignoring the harsh pounding of his hard-soled shoes against the pavement, Kurt ran right down the middle of Blaine’s street as though he were being reeled in. Only a few more steps to go.

Through the door, up the stairs (who can wait for an elevator?), down the hall, to the door. He was breathing heavily, his heart beating wildly in his chest and blood rushing in his ears. Knocking frantically, he hoped against hope that Blaine was home and would hear him out. Kurt wasn’t sure what he would do if Blaine severed the string for real this time. 

The door swung open and there he was. Kurt had to speak quickly, the pull too strong to waste breath with flowery language or songs. The words came out in a rush, breathlessly and all at once until he remembered where he was and who else might be involved in Blaine’s life. “…unless there’s somebody else,” he added, glancing around nervously.

“There’s no one else,” Blaine replied quickly, surging forward and taking Kurt’s face in his hands as he kissed him soundly.

Completion. Connection. Love. Finally.

Kurt couldn’t fathom how he’d ever considered this bond to be restrictive. He wasn’t being held back from anything – the tie to Blaine’s heart was the thing that allowed him access to a part of himself he’d never known before. It connected him to the deepest part of the one man he’d ever truly loved. He realized that even when they’d been apart, estranged, and angry, this invisible string had still held them to one another, just waiting for them to stop pulling in opposite directions. It could stretch and fray and knot and tangle, but with trust and patience and time, it would right itself again.

Kurt liked the idea of always being tied to Blaine. He didn’t know when he’d next have to run, or where he’d have to go, but he knew he’d never have to run alone again.

_Isn’t it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first new work I’ve written and posted since last year’s Valentine’s challenge, so forgive me if I’m rusty. It’s good to be home.


	2. I Only Want To Be With You

Ah, February, when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of…paintball?

Kurt sighed, wondering how in the world he’d gotten into this mess. First off, “team-building exercises” were _so_ ten years ago, but somehow his company thought it would be a good idea for all of the interns to get together and bond through some type of out-of-office activity. Participation wasn’t mandatory, per se, but Kurt knew it would be frowned upon if he didn’t join. Plus, with a pack of hungry interns nipping at his heels and jostling to be noticed, he wasn’t about to cause himself to be at a disadvantage.

He marched up to the bulletin board in the break room (really, they couldn’t do this electronically?) with all intentions of signing up for the Paint & Wine event at the local art gallery. Pen in hand, poised to write his name, he glanced to the right and saw the sign-up sheet for the other activity offered – paintball. He’d scoffed when he received the notice of the two choices. He wasn’t sure who had decided it was a good idea for said hungry interns to be put in an environment to shoot at one another, even if it was only paint. Obviously, he much preferred wielding a glass of Riesling and a small art brush. 

Then a name on the list caught his attention. Oh. _Oh_. Well, there was a conundrum. Blaine Anderson, fellow intern and Kurt’s hopeless office crush, was on the paintball list. Kurt had been pining after Blaine for a month now, ever since the dark-haired, bright-eyed, bowtie-wearing ray of sunshine had parked himself at the workstation next to his own. It’s been four weeks of sideways glances and stifled sighs, and Kurt would be absolutely disgusted with himself if the object of his affections wasn’t so freaking _dreamy_. 

They’d exchanged some office pleasantries, but both of them were kept so busy during the day that there wasn’t really time to chat. Kurt had yet to work up the courage to ask Blaine to join him at lunch or to go out for happy hour. An office-sponsored recreational event might be the perfect opportunity to finally spend a little time with Blaine, and who knows? Maybe Kurt would even get up the nerve to talk about something other than office supplies.

“I must be out of my mind,” Kurt muttered, scrawling his name underneath Blaine’s on the paintball list.

That was how he found himself here, wherever “here” actually was. Who schedules an _outdoor_ paintball event in the outer boroughs of New York in February? He’d spent the last hour dodging around trees and behind rocks, clad in some godawful jumpsuit that he’d only agreed to wear when Blaine reminded him that paint was unlikely to come out of his Marc Jacobs sweater, just trying to keep from being hit until it was time to leave. He had hoped to spend some quality time beside Blaine, but of course they’d been put on opposite teams. Kurt hadn’t seen Blaine since the game started.

Grumbling and cursing to himself, Kurt darted from one tree to another, diving when he heard the pop-pop of a paintball gun nearby. The sharp pain in his left ankle alerted him to the fact that he should not have tried that dive move in a wooded area. Prodding the ankle gently, he realized it wasn’t too bad, but it still smarted enough to keep him from standing up right away. “Swell,” he huffed, scooting backwards until he could lean back against the tree trunk. “Now I can just sit here and die of hypothermia and boredom. No man is worth this!” 

Just as he was about to retrieve his phone from his pants pocket to call for help, he heard the cracking of a twig underfoot. Everything went silent for a second. Kurt rolled his eyes in exasperation. “You can come out, whoever you are. If you’re on my team, you can help me back to the base. If you’re not, you can do me the courtesy of shooting me and putting me out of my misery,” he called out.

More twigs snapped and leaves rustled. “Kurt?” a voice came from behind him. Kurt had a fraction of a second to go pale before Blaine came out from around the tree. He grinned as he walked around to face him. “You know, I’m not sure it’s the best strategy to give away your location and ask to be paintballed,” he quipped.

“Well, I always was more of a lover than a fighter,” Kurt volleyed back (and where did _that_ come from?). 

“You don’t say,” Blaine said, cocking his head to one side. “So, Loverboy, why exactly are you sitting on the ground?”

Kurt shifted and attempted to stand, but winced at the burst of pain that went through his ankle. Blaine was instantly by his side. “Whoa, take it easy,” he soothed, reaching out to put a hand on Kurt’s arm. “Are you hurt? What happened?”

Kurt explained how he’d injured his ankle, blushing at his own foolish clumsiness. 

“Do you think you can walk if I help you?” Blaine offered. “If you can make it back to the parking lot, I can drive you home.”

Kurt looked up at Blaine, desperately hoping that his face didn’t show the surge of affection that rushed through him. “You don’t have to do that,” he argued. “You’ll miss the rest of the day with everyone else.”

Blaine held Kurt’s gaze for a moment, then smiled gently. He reached beside Kurt and took his paintball gun from where it lay at his side. He aimed it at a nearby rock (already splattered with paint from games past), and fired. Then he took his own gun, aimed it a little off to the side, and fired it, as well. Kurt watched in confusion as Blaine put the two guns down and walked over to the rock. He swept one finger through the wet yellow paint from Kurt’s weapon, and another finger through the green paint from his own. He quickly swiped some of the yellow paint across his chest, then walked over to Kurt and rubbed a bit of the green paint on his arm. 

“What in the world are you doing?” Kurt asked.

“Gee, Kurt. It looks like we’ve each been hit,” he answered with a smirk. “Now we’re both out of the game and can’t play anymore, so I have no reason to stay, do I?”

Kurt flushed pink. “I, uh, I guess not, though you could hang out and wait for the others. I’m sure they’ll go out for drinks and pizza or something.” 

Blaine crouched down, bringing himself eye-level with Kurt. He reached out a hand and took Kurt’s in his own, laughing softly and shaking his head in disbelief. “I guess I have to spell it out for you. Don’t you see, Kurt? I only want to be with you.”

That was how Kurt found himself at Blaine’s apartment later that evening, wrapped in a blanket with an ice pack on his ankle, resting his head on Blaine’s shoulder and holding his hand. He smiled as he admitted to himself that apparently one man was worth it, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song prompt: I Only Want To Be With You, by Dusty Springfield.


	3. I Knew I Loved You

Normally, Kurt would do his spring cleaning in the spring, but the terrible winter storm hitting New York in February meant two or three days stuck inside, so he figured why not start early? He’d already written up the chore list, and he and Blaine had divided the tasks between them to divide and conquer.

By mid-morning, Kurt was already making good headway on clearing out the spare closet where they kept lesser-worn and out-of-season items. Just as he pulled out one particular garment bag, Blaine came into the room. 

“Kurt, do you have any idea where we moved the…” he trailed off, stopping in his tracks. Kurt had opened the bag to reveal two suits – one turquoise blue, the other mustard yellow. “Are those what I think they are?” he asked, his voice a bit hollow.

Kurt ducked his head guiltily. He and Blaine had discussed this a couple of years earlier, and Blaine had been very clear that he wanted nothing to do with the memory of that day. They’d argued about it briefly, and Kurt had conceded, promising to donate the suits to charity. 

“Blaine, I…” He what? “I know. I know I said I’d donate them, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I mean, they’re…they’re…” Kurt stumbled over his words, flustered at being caught and worried that he’d done something to upset Blaine so unnecessarily.

“Hey, hey, it’s all right,” Blaine consoled, crossing the room and putting his arms around his husband. “I’m not mad,” he added pointedly.

Kurt gave him a one-armed hug back with his free hand. “You’re not?”

“No. I’ll admit I didn’t really want to see them again, or at least mine, but maybe I was a little harsh the last time we discussed it.” He pulled back, taking the garment bag from Kurt and laying it on the bed almost reverently. Kurt came to stand beside him, slipping an arm around his waist as they looked at the two suits together.

“God, I was such an idiot that day,” Blaine murmured with a self-deprecating laugh. 

“No, you weren’t,” Kurt chided. Blaine gave him a sideways glance. “Okay, maybe a little bit of an idiot,” he amended with a giggle. “But do you know why I said yes that day?”

“Um, was it because I made a massive production out of my premature proposal and backed you into a corner in front of everyone you knew?”

Kurt tweaked Blaine’s side with his fingers, eliciting a squeak from his husband but not letting him pull away. “No, not at all. I admit, I went in there not knowing what I’d say when you asked me. I was fully prepared to say no, ‘massive production’ aside. But then you started to speak, and you said that our hands were meant to hold each other. You told me that it never felt like we were getting to know each other. It felt like you were remembering me from something.” He paused, tipping his head sideways to rest on Blaine’s shoulder.

“Before I met you, I always had this feeling that I already belonged to someone, like he was away from home or something, and I was waiting for him to come back. It was as though I already loved him. Then I met you, and I knew. Maybe it was intuition. I used to think I dreamed you into life, because there was no other explanation as to why you were everything I’d been waiting for all my life.”

Blaine turned in Kurt’s arms, facing him and guiding his chin up with a gentle touch of his finger. “Kurt,” he said simply in that way Kurt adored so much. 

“I know that it might sound more than a little crazy…” Kurt murmured.

“It’s not crazy,” Blaine whispered back softly, leaning in and capturing Kurt’s lips in a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: I Knew I Loved You by Mateo Oxley


	4. Adore You

The first hints of light are starting to appear in the sky as Blaine stirs in his sleep. He tightens his grip on Kurt ever so slightly, and is nearly back to blissful unconsciousness when he realizes it’s not Kurt in his arms at all. Fluttering his eyes open, he confirms that a pillow has taken the place of his new husband.

“Kurt?” he mumbles confusedly, lifting his head from the pillow and inhaling sharply to wake up.

“It’s okay, honey. Go back to sleep,” a soft voice calls from behind him. Blaine rolls over to find Kurt standing at the window of their hotel room, gazing out towards the burgeoning sunrise. 

Despite Kurt’s instruction, Blaine rises, pulling on the fluffy robe that matches the one Kurt is currently wearing. He pads over to the window, wrapping Kurt in his arms from behind. Placing a light kiss to his neck, he grins when he feels Kurt lean back into him.

“Everything okay?” Blaine asks in his sleep-rough voice.

“Mm-hmm,” Kurt responds absently. 

“Come on, now,” Blaine prods. “No secrets, remember? If something’s bothering you, you can tell me anything. I’m your _husband_ now,” he reminds him with a gentle squeeze.

Kurt laughs lightly, turning his head to gift Blaine with a quick kiss. “You do know me well.” He pauses momentarily, and then continues. “That’s kind of what I was thinking about, actually.”

“Me knowing you so well?”

“No. Us being…husbands,” Kurt finishes. 

Blaine tries not to be too concerned over the pause in that sentence. Jumping to conclusions never got either of them anywhere good. He has to ask, though. “Are you regretting getting married yesterday?”

“No! No, not at all,” Kurt quickly affirms, placing his hands over Blaine’s where they rest across his stomach, easily finding and smoothing his finger over the shiny new ring on Blaine’s left hand. “It’s just…I mean, I knew what it was to be friends, and boyfriends, and fiances. We’ve done the wedding and the reception, and I guess I’m wondering how we figure out what comes next?”

Blaine smiles to himself. God, he loves this man with all his heart. “You know, I’ve thought the same thing a hundred times in the last twelve hours,” he admits, “and I know I’m not an expert, but I think I have an answer.”

He loosens his hold, turning Kurt in his arms so they’re facing each other. The sun has broken the plane of the horizon, sending shafts of gold-pink light through the window to illuminate the side of Kurt’s face, making him look more lovely and ethereal than ever. “I think,” he begins, choking up a touch, “that all we have to do is get up every morning and figure it out together.”

Kurt smiles at him then, the light in his eyes outshining even the rays of the morning sun. “I think,” he parrots back, kissing the tip of Blaine’s nose, “that that sounds like an _excellent_ plan.” Blaine feels Kurt relax in his arms, letting go some of the tension and anxiety. “It seems a little early to start figuring out life right this instant, though,” he teases, stifling a yawn. “So, what should we do for now?”

“That’s easy,” Blaine murmurs against his lips, pulling Kurt tightly to him. “For now, just let me adore you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: Adore You by Harry Styles.  
> I’ve got a year’s worth of sap saved up, apparently. Sorry/not sorry. Also, I’m inordinately excited to have used the word “burgeoning.” 


	5. Conversations in the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in my “A Hero’s Hero” verse, in which Blaine is Nightbird.

Blaine had always felt there was something special about the night. There was a freedom in the darkness. In the daylight, everything was exposed and open for all to see, and hiding required an often exhausting amount of skill and effort. The darkness provided its own kind of shield, allowing him to rest his internal defenses and breathe openly for a while.

Of course, he wasn’t the only one that the darkness concealed. Those with purposes darker than the night itself could use it to their advantage, as well. Unfortunately for them, Blaine was much better acquainted with the secrets of the dark than they were. The night was his ally in a way it could never be to them.

None of his experience had prepared him for the night that would change his life forever. Never in a thousand lifetimes did he expect to find his true love in the middle of the night while he lay broken and bruised in an alleyway. He’d be tempted to think of Kurt as a beam of light, but that wouldn’t be right. One of two things would happen to light in the darkness – either it would shatter it, or it would be swallowed up by it. Kurt had done neither.

Instead, Kurt had come to travel alongside Blaine, making sure he stayed protected and not letting him slip too close to the edge where he could be lost. He’d become an anchor, a lifeline – a reason to go on patrol in the evening and a reason to come back every time. 

With Blaine’s odd hours, he and Kurt frequently didn’t get a lot of time together during the day. Whenever he could, Kurt would make sure he was awake when Blaine came in, helping him change out of his suit and tending to any new battle wounds, as he called them. Then they’d curl up together on the couch or in bed, Kurt nursing a cup of tea while Blaine had a late dinner or snack, and they’d talk while the world was sleeping. They always spoke in hushed tones, the way people do in the wee hours, like everything shared at that time of night was a secret. Maybe it was.

All Blaine knew was that in those moments, he relished the night more than he ever had. With Kurt by his side, he didn’t have to be alone in the darkness anymore. He had someone to cherish and love, and someone to love him in return.

_I’ll be there when you get lonely, lonely  
Keep the secrets that you told me, told me  
And your love is all you owe me  
And I won’t break your heart _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: Conversations in the Dark by John Legend. For some reason, I had an awful time with this prompt, so you get about 400 words of my introspective rambling. 


	6. You Are the Reason

_There goes my heart racing  
Cause you are the reason_

It had to be a hallucination. Maybe Kurt had slipped and fallen on the spiral staircase at Dalton. That seemed much more reasonable than the possibility that this was really happening. There was no way that a gorgeous boy had spoken to him so kindly, taken his hand and run with him down the hall of what appeared to be Ohio’s answer to Hogwarts, and that he was now practically serenading him in front of a room full of other teenage boys. Kurt’s heart was racing, and it wasn’t from the running. 

He stood still, taking everything in and committing every second to memory, just in case he woke up suddenly and it was all gone. It wouldn’t be the last time Blaine Anderson made his heart race, with or without skin tight jeans.

_There goes my mind racing  
And you are the reason_

“I’m not very good at romance.”

Blaine’s words echoed in Kurt’s head as he tried to get to sleep. Kurt could hardly believe he’d been brave enough to confess his thoughts to Blaine, but after the Gap Attack fiasco, he couldn’t stop himself. Blaine was the one who said there was nothing better than laying it all on the line and saying “I love you,” right? Well, Kurt hadn’t gone that far, but he’d given Blaine an opportunity.

Unfortunately, Blaine hadn’t jumped at the chance and declared his undying love for Kurt. To be fair, he didn’t exactly reject him, either. Words like “I really, really care about you,” and “I don’t want to screw this up,” aren’t ones said by someone uninterested, right?

Kurt sighed and turned over in bed, mind racing. It was going to be a long night.

_There goes my hands shaking  
And you are the reason_

“I want to go back to your house.”

What had Kurt been thinking? Well, he knew what he’d been _feeling_ with Blaine’s arms wrapped around him. It wasn’t like they hadn’t talked about this before, or that Kurt didn’t feel ready.

Blaine closed the bedroom door softly behind him, but to Kurt, it resonated like an explosion. This was real. It was happening. He was terrified.

What was he so afraid of, though? He loved Blaine. He trusted Blaine. He trusted his own feelings and heart, and knew that there was nothing wrong with what they were about to do. No, his fears were coming from his own insecurities. Was he was good enough for Blaine? What if he freaked out? What if he didn’t know what to do, or if Blaine didn’t like what he saw, or…

“Kurt?” 

He inhaled sharply and started when he felt Blaine’s hand caress his arm and slide down to take his hand. “Kurt, honey, you’re shaking,” Blaine said, worry filling his eyes. “Are you nervous? Or afraid? We don’t have to do anything tonight. I won’t be mad. I promise.”

Kurt took a deep calming breath. How could he be nervous with the most amazing boy in the world beside him? “I’m okay,” he said quietly. “No, really,” he added when Blaine quirked a questioning brow. 

“I guess I am a little nervous,” he admitted shyly, “but I’m not afraid. Not with you.”

Blaine reached out and brushed the back of his hand down Kurt’s cheek. “I’m a little nervous too, you know. How about we take it one step at a time, okay?”

As they lay beside one another, Kurt looked in Blaine’s eyes and knew this was right. Blaine smiled at him, and then their hands weren’t shaking anymore. 

_Cause I need you to see  
That you are the reason_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: You Are the Reason by Leona Lewis and Calum Scott


	7. Always

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in my “Spellbound” verse. If you haven’t read it, here’s the gist – Kurt is a witch who owns a bookstore. Blaine is a college music professor. They are to be married and spirit bound (you’ll have to read the verse to understand that reference, I’m afraid.) Oh, and (spoiler!) Kurt is one hundred and ninety years old. (Sorry, but it’s important to part of this story.)

Kurt sighed as he closed the door, locking it behind the last customer of the evening. It had been a busy few days, with several new releases coming out all at once. He was grateful for the business, but glad the day was done. 

He turned back to the shop, intent on completing his closing routine as quickly as possible. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could finally spend some quality time with Blaine.

Speaking of Blaine, he smiled to himself as the familiar sounds of the piano began to float across the room. “I’ll be done as fast as I can,” he called out.

“No hurry, Kurt,” Blaine replied from the piano bench. He would often stop at closing time and play for Kurt while he closed up. It had become Kurt’s favorite part of the day. “I can keep myself occupied. I picked up some new sheet music today.”

“Of course, you did,” Kurt chuckled under his breath. Since their engagement, Blaine had been fixed on the idea of finding the perfect song for their first dance at the wedding reception. They didn’t have a “song” of their own, so they’d decided to use this as their opportunity to choose one. Dozens of songs had been considered so far, but none had felt right. Kurt was confident they would find the perfect one eventually. He was used to being patient and waiting. Hadn’t he waited nearly two centuries for Blaine?

Humming along with the music, Kurt went about his closing tasks, and was finished in no time. Taking a quick sweeping glance over the sales floor, he nodded in satisfaction, and officially took himself off the clock. Feeling the last bit of tension release from his body, he crossed the room to the piano, placing a gentle hand on Blaine’s back and nudging him with his hip. Blaine didn’t miss a note as he scooted over in a practiced movement to make room for Kurt. Kurt sat and gave Blaine a peck on the cheek. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Blaine parroted, bringing the song he was playing to a close with a flourish. He turned to Kurt and added, “I think I found it.” There was an excited twinkle in his eye. 

“I’ve heard that one before,” Kurt teased warily. 

“Oh, ye of little faith.” Blaine reached for his messenger bag and pulled out a folio of sheet music. It was clearly not new – it was in good condition, but the edges were a little worn and the cover slightly faded. When Kurt read the title, his breath caught in his throat. 

“I love that song!” he exclaimed, taking the folio from Blaine and flipping it open carefully. “Where did you find this?”

“I checked out the second-hand shop on the next block. They’ve got a whole section dedicated to music – old vinyl, record players, and,” he paused, playfully gesturing to the paper in Kurt’s hand, “sheet music.”

“I remember when this came out,” Kurt mused, almost talking to himself. If Blaine found it jarring to be reminded that Kurt was old enough to remember a song written in 1925, he didn’t let it show. “It was such a lovely song, and I remember wishing someone would sing it to me one day.” He looked up at Blaine with a small smile. “No one ever did, though.” 

Blaine tilted his head to one side, a wave of sadness overtaking him at the thought of his beloved ever being lonely. He took the music from Kurt and placed it on the piano before settling his fingers on the ivory keys. “Well, now,” he said, his voice husky, “we can’t have that.”

_Everything went wrong,  
And the whole day long  
I’d feel so blue.  
For the longest while  
I’d forget to smile,  
Then I met you.  
Now that my blue days have passed,  
Now that I’ve found you at last   
  
I’ll be loving you always  
With a love that’s true always.  
When the things you’ve planned  
Need a helping hand,  
I will understand always.  
  
Always.  
  
Days may not be fair always,  
That’s when I’ll be there always.  
Not for just an hour,  
Not for just a day,  
Not for just a year,  
But always._

The final notes echoed and faded, leaving the shop quiet and still. Dropping his hands from the keys, Blaine slid an arm around Kurt’s waist and rested his head upon his shoulder. Knowing they were not only to be wed, but to be spirit bound, concepts like “forever” and “always” had a different, deeper meaning to the two of them. “I’ll be loving you always” was the perfect affirmation of their deep devotion and love for one another. 

After a moment, Kurt broke the silence, his voice soft but clear. “Blaine?”

“Yes, Kurt.”

“Will you promise to dance with me to that song?”

Blaine lifted his head, pressing a warm kiss to Kurt’s temple as he replied, “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although the version used in the prompt is fairly recent, this is a very old song which was, as noted in my story, written by Irving Berlin in 1925. (f you’re not familiar with Berlin or this song, you’ll certainly know his most famous tune, White Christmas. I’ve known and loved Always my whole life – it was my grandparents’ song. I’m happy to share it with Kurt and Blaine. 


	8. Grow As We Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Using this prompt to vent one of my “Unpopular Glee Opinions.” 

“I’m sorry, what?”

Kurt had taken about four steps before he realized Blaine was no longer walking beside him. Turning back, he saw Blaine standing stock still, completely bewildered.

“Silly. I said,” he teased, walking back to take Blaine’s arm and pulling him forward down the Dalton corridor, “that I can’t make Warbler practice this afternoon. I’m leaving early for a meeting at McKinley with my dad, Principal Figgins, Dave Karofsky and his father. It sounds like everything is worked out with Karofsky, and if so, I can return to McKinley for good! Isn’t that fabulous?” 

Blaine remained silent, causing Kurt to glance over at him. Kurt had imagined Blaine would be sad to see him leave, but he didn’t expect the expression that met him. He wasn’t sure if it was anger, betrayal, or pain, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

After a few more steps, Blaine veered them off to the side into one of the empty common rooms, shutting the door behind them. 

“Fabulous, Kurt? Fabulous. Have you forgotten exactly what happened at McKinley to make you come to Dalton in the first place?” Blaine asked incredulously.

Kurt felt his hackles go up in defense and he crossed his arms over his chest. “No, Blaine,” he snapped. “I haven’t forgotten being hate-kissed and having my life threatened.”

“And yet you want to go back,” Blaine countered flatly.

Kurt sighed in exasperation. “I _told_ you. Dave says he’s changed, and he isn’t a threat to me anymore. Weren’t you listening?”

Blaine huffed out a laugh, pacing across the room to glare out the window over the manicured lawn. “Of course, I was listening.”

“Then why can’t you see this is a good thing? Look, I know you love it here, but I’ve never really fit in at Dalton. I want to be with my friends, the people who love me and accept me.”

“Oh, I see,” Blaine replied, turning away from the window. “And would these be the same friends who let Karofsky toss you around the halls for over two years without saying anything? The ones whose homophobic taunting sent you to Dalton in the first place? The ones who couldn’t see the pain you were in – the pain I, a complete stranger, could feel across a crowded room the first day I met you? _Those_ friends? Yes, Kurt. I have been listening. I listened to all the stories you told me about your old glee club. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies?”

Kurt’s eyes darkened. “Careful, Blaine. I won’t have you insult them.”

Blaine took a breath and changed tactics. “Okay, fine. Then let’s talk about McKinley being safe now that Karofsky’s “reformed,” shall we? So, he’s not a problem anymore. What about the others? Azimio, for example. Has he changed his ways? What about your principal, who never took any of your complaints seriously? Or Scheuster, who ignored the abuse you suffered, except for the one time you dared to stand up to him. None of that has changed, has it? Are you really any safer there because one person won’t bully you anymore?”

Kurt thought about storming out, but the truth of Blaine’s words seemed to make it impossible to leave. He backed his way to one of the leather couches and plopped down. Was Blaine right? Was going back to McKinley a horrible mistake? Had he built it all up in his mind to be better than it really had been?

Seeing Kurt deflate filled Blaine with remorse. He relented, and tentatively approached the couch. “May I?” he asked, all harshness gone from his voice.

Kurt stared at the carpet and shrugged indifferently in reply. Blaine sat, nearly touching but not quite, and sighed. “I’m sorry, Kurt. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

“I know, Blaine. I know. Everything you said makes sense. I think I idealized McKinley in my head as home, but Karofsky wasn’t the only problem. He wasn’t the only reason I was miserable. But some days, I feel so…stifled here. It’s like I’m being forced into a mold that just isn’t me. At least at McKinley, I could be myself.”

“I have to take some responsibility for trying to mold you into a ‘Dalton Man,’” Blaine admitted, making air quotes with his fingers. “I should never have given you that speech after your first solo audition. I was an idiot. But,” he continued, daring to reach over and lace his fingers with Kurt’s, “I think you’re already starting to change the Warblers for the better.”

Kurt faced Blaine, brow furrowed. “How?”

“Were you not there when we sang a romantic duet in front of a competition audience? That had never, ever happened in Warbler history before.”

“That was your doing, not mine,” Kurt argued. 

“I may have suggested it, but the only reason the Council and the Warblers went for it was because they knew you had the talent to do it. I won’t lie – they give me more leeway to make decisions about competitions than they should, but even I don’t have enough sway to get sub-par talent a solo. That was all you,” he punctuated the last word with a squeeze to Kurt’s hand.

“I understand that you want to be yourself and grow and be creative. But you don’t have to leave to do that. You can help bring the Warblers forward, make them better, and carve out a new place for yourself in the process. Hey,” he whispered, leaning in and glancing around conspiratorially, “two of the three members of the Council graduate at the end of this year. One of those seats could be yours, easily.”

“Blaine,” Kurt chuckled, swiping at a stray tear that had escaped out of the corner of his eye. He bit his lower lip and regarded Blaine seriously. “Do you really believe the Warblers would ever accept me – the _real_ me?” he asked quietly.

“They already accept you,” Blaine answered, hurrying on when Kurt dubiously raised a brow, “No, they do. They like you and appreciate your talent and your wit. They may not know exactly what to do with you yet, but you can teach them. _We_ can teach them together. 

“You can grow and blossom here, Kurt. I can, too. I’m far from perfect. I’ve made lots of mistakes. I let myself get caught up in the Warblers’ praise, but you called me out on that one pretty fast.” They both laughed at the memory. “I learned from that. It was why I proposed the duet, so you would have a chance to shine and the group could see how amazing you are.”

Kurt gazed at their joined hands. “You know, another reason I thought I had to leave was you,” he began, lifting his eyes to meet Blaine’s. The hurt he saw there made him realize how he’d sounded. “No! Not like that,” he corrected, taking Blaine’s other hand and pulling them to his chest. “I only mean that I was afraid I’d be staying just for you; that I’d lose myself in your shadow and not be able to find my own way. But now…” he trailed off.

“Now?” Blaine prompted, the word a whisper in the air.

Kurt smiled, “Now I realize that I don’t have to do this alone.”

Blaine grinned widely. “Does that mean you aren’t leaving?”

Kurt took a breath. “I’m still going to go to the meeting to hear them out. I already agreed to do that. But,” he paused, choosing his words carefully, “I promise I’ll think about everything we discussed before I make a decision.”

Blaine nodded quickly, blinking away the stinging behind his eyes. All he could do was wait and hope that whatever choice Kurt made, it would be the one that made him happy.

Blaine paced impatiently outside the front doors of Dalton Academy early the following Monday morning. Kurt had requested no contact over the weekend so he could think things through. Blaine was a nervous wreck, scanning the walkway from the parking lot, eager for a glimpse of perfectly-coiffed hair amid all of the other students. 

Finally, Kurt appeared, his usual books in hand and messenger bag over his shoulder, and a small wheeled suitcase rolling behind him. Blaine’s heart sunk to the ground. That was it, then. He was leaving, and was only returning to pack up his dorm. Putting on a brave face, he smiled and waved as Kurt approached.

“Hi,” Kurt greeted, coming to a halt in front of him.

“Hey,” Blaine answered, giving Kurt a swift kiss on the cheek. “So, um,” he stumbled, gaze falling to the offending piece of luggage resting at Kurt’s side. “Where are my manners? Let me help you with that,” he offered. He grabbed the handle and tugged at the suitcase, surprised by its weight. It was heavy. Very, very heavy. His head snapped up to find Kurt wearing a knowing smirk. 

“Well, if I’m staying permanently, I _had_ to bring the rest of my skincare _products_ and some of my regular wardrobe for off-hours and weekends. I will not be seen in this uniform 24/7.”

Blaine launched into Kurt’s arms, both boys laughing and crying at the same time. “It’ll be good here, Kurt. I promise. You’ll get to be whoever you want to be, and no one will stop you. I’ll help you, not that you’ll need it.”

Kurt held Blaine tightly, certain that he’d chosen well. “We’ll grow as we go. Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song prompt: Grow As We Go by Ben Platt. In my very humble opinion, Kurt was foolish to return to McKinley. Blaine was even more foolish for following him. I understand why it was done for story purposes, but oh, I wish they’d both been able to stay at Dalton and thrive there!


	9. How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You

_I needed the shelter of someone’s arms, and there you were_.

It was an odd truth of New York life that the more people one was around, the more alone one could feel. Kurt walked quickly down the bustling sidewalk, keeping up with the other overly-busy New Yorkers who somehow managed to slip past one another and miss colliding by inches. He was focused on his destination, aware enough of his surroundings to not get flattened by a taxi, but barely paying attention to anyone in particular.

Perhaps that was how the dark-haired stranger managed to approach, slip an arm through his, spin him 180 degrees, and start walking Kurt back the way he came.

“Walk with me,” the stranger said, leaning into Kurt’s hear to be heard. He’d tucked Kurt’s arm into his side, pressing it firmly but gently.

“ _Excuse me_ ,” Kurt protested, pulling his arm back and making an attempt to step away. The flow of foot traffic carried them onward, though, and the stranger spoke again quickly, retaining his firm grip.

“I’m not a weirdo or a pervert, I’m not kidnapping you, and I’m not trying to hurt you, I promise. I just,” he paused, flashing a glance over his shoulder, “I need you to walk with me for a couple of blocks. Please.” he implored.

They’d come to an intersection and had to wait for the light to change. It was the perfect opportunity for Kurt to put a stop to this madness. He was not about to let some maniac drag him down Fifth Avenue in the middle of the afternoon. Turning to said maniac, he opened his mouth to tell him off, but stopped as soon as he saw his face.

“I know you,” he blurted.

The stranger – well, not _stranger_ , apparently – blushed. “Y-you do?” he stammered.

“You’re…” he halted, not wanting to finish with the words that came to his mind first, which were _the gorgeous singer from the café where I eat lunch all the time_. Kurt cursed himself for not having immediately recognized him, but the abruptness of their meeting had caught him off-guard.

“Blaine,” the other man supplied, interpreting Kurt’s pause as a request for his name. The pedestrians around them began moving forward in a wave, indicating that the signal had changed. Kurt, feeling less like a future subject of an episode of Nightline, stepped forward when Blaine did.

“You perform at the Midtown Café,” Kurt said, sidestepping as a woman with a hideously oversized shoulder bag passed a little too closely. 

“Yeah, I gig at a couple of places, but I like that one the best. It’s just a side job while I finish my degree at NYU,” Blaine answered. 

“So, Blaine, do you care to tell me why you grabbed me in the middle of the sidewalk and hauled me back uptown?” Kurt asked as they crossed another intersection.

Blaine blushed, dipping his head down and away. “Here,” he said, looking around and guiding Kurt close to a doorway that offered a shelter from the river of people. He glanced nervously down Fifth again, seeming to be searching the crowd for someone in particular.

“Blaine?” Kurt was becoming concerned. “Blaine,” he called louder, gaining his companion’s attention. “Is someone following you? Are you in trouble? I’ll call 911 if you need,” he offered, slipping his phone out of his pocket swiftly.

“No, no,” Blaine replied, placing a hand on Kurt’s arm to stop him. “It’s not like that, I, um…” he trailed off, staring at the sidewalk and mumbling something incoherent that got lost in the cacophony of horns and traffic.

“What was that?”

Blaine lifted his head, embarrassment written all over his face. He sighed. “I saw my ex-boyfriend with his new boyfriend,” he admitted, rolling his eyes in frustration. 

Kurt winced. “Ouch. How long since you broke up?”

Blaine grimaced. “Two months. But I think the term you’re looking for is ‘got dumped,’ not ‘broke up,’” he added bitterly. 

“So, you saw your ex with his new boyfriend, and that led to you snatching me how, exactly?” Kurt inquired, his tone not unkind.

Blaine huffed out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I, um, well, I saw Nathan coming towards me, and I panicked. I wasn’t ready to see him, especially not with some new guy, and especially not today, so I turned around, planning to dive into a store or down a side street. Then I spotted you, and it was like…” Blaine halted, eyes widening as if he had let a secret slip out.

“Like?” Kurt prodded.

They locked eyes, and Blaine took a half step forward when a large group of tourists filed past. Blaine spoke quietly, barely audible, but Kurt heard every word. “All I could think was that I didn’t want to be alone. I felt like I needed the shelter of someone’s arms, and…there you were.”

“Blaine, that’s so,” Kurt fumbled for the right word. Beautiful? Romantic? Perfect? “Why especially not today?” was what came out instead.

“What?”

“You said you didn’t want to see Nathan, especially not today,” Kurt repeated.

“I did?” Blaine groaned when Kurt nodded in the affirmative. “Today’s my birthday,” he grumbled.

Kurt felt the corners of his mouth lift in a smile as he settled on an idea that had been brewing since Blaine mentioned his ex. “Oh, well in that case, come on,” he announced, sliding his arm through Blaine’s and striding back towards downtown.

“What – where are we going?” Blaine stammered, tripping a few steps trying to keep up with Kurt’s brisk pace. 

“Do you see them?” Kurt said instead of answering.

“Kurt,” Blaine tried.

“Do you see them,” Kurt repeated, emphasizing each word. There was a good chance that Blaine’s ex and the new guy had passed them by while they’d been talking, but there was also a chance they’d stopped somewhere along the way. Kurt was hoping for the latter.

Blaine, still confused, scanned the oncoming crowd. Kurt felt him tense, and followed his line of sight in time to see a couple exiting a store half a block ahead. 

“Head up, Blaine, you’ve got this, and I’ve got you,” he encouraged, speaking quietly into his ear. He quickly slipped his arm out of Blaine’s, taking his wrist to put Blaine’s arm around his waist and mirroring the position. “Don’t stop walking. Address him by name, say hello, and keep moving,” Kurt instructed, pulling Blaine tightly to him.

Within seconds, they were a few feet away. Kurt need not have worried about Blaine speaking up, as one of the two men, presumably Nathan, recognized Blaine first. The man appeared disproportionately shocked, not to see Blaine, but to see him with someone else, if the way he regarded Kurt was any indication. Rude. “Blaine?”

“Hey, Nathan,” Blaine greeted him coolly. True to Kurt’s direction, they kept walking. 

“Three, two, one,” Kurt counted under his breath before turning to plant a kiss firmly on Blaine’s cheek.

Blaine looked over sharply. “What was that for?”

Kurt grinned. “It was for a couple of things. One, I knew by the look on Nathan’s face – you can do better, by the way – that he’d be craning around to watch you walk away. Two, it’s your birthday. And three,” he paused, steering Blaine around a corner to stop walking. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first day I saw you at the Midtown Café.”

“You have?”

Kurt chuckled and shook his head fondly. “Blaine, the food at the Midtown is good, but not good enough for me to eat there three days a week in a city with a thousand restaurants. Why did you think I kept coming back?”

It was Blaine’s turn to smile now. “You know, I play there four days a week,” he teased.

“Well, I didn’t want to seem desperate,” Kurt teased back. 

They shared a laugh, and then an awkward pause. “So, I suppose you were actually going somewhere before,” Blaine began, frowning slightly. “I hope I didn’t mess up your afternoon too much. I should probably-”

“-let me buy you a cupcake for your birthday? Yes, you should,” Kurt interrupted. He cheered internally when Blaine’s smile returned.

“Kurt, that’s kind of you, but you don’t have to do that,” Blaine protested.

Kurt simply took Blaine’s hand and started down the street towards a bakery he knew well. “I insist. Everyone should have something sweet on their birthday, don’t you think?”

_How sweet it is to be loved by you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song prompt – How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You by James Taylor. I hit the wall trying to write this one. I didn’t get a chance to edit it as well as I’d like, and I’m not happy with the ending, but it’s the best I’ve got for tonight.


	10. Your Man

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Kurt complained, not for the first time.

Mercedes shushed him and tugged him by the arm through the door. “I told you, Sam invited me, and I didn’t want to come alone. Let’s go find table with a good view of the stage,” she said, leading him across the floor of the already crowded bar.

“Well, that’s great, but why didn’t you ask Rachel? Country-Western night really isn’t my thing, you know.”

Mercedes laughed and gave him a once over. “You sure about that? Because you’re rocking the look pretty hard.”

Kurt smoothed down his fitted plaid shirt. His tight blue jeans were tucked into a pair of cowboy boots that had an elaborate swirl on the sides. “Kurt Hummel _always_ dresses for the occasion,” he drawled, claiming a chair at what appeared to be the last table and warding off some Dolly Parton wannabe with a glare. 

“True, true,” Mercedes agreed, scooting the other chair over to sit next to him and face the stage. “Anyway, I brought you because I thought you’d have fun,” she said, answering his earlier question. “You haven’t been out in ages.”

“I’ve been out,” Kurt argued weakly. “Fine,” he admitted when Mercedes looked at him pointedly. “It’s been a while. I’m not sure this would have been my first choice for my grand return to society,” he mused, giving the place a less-than-impressed sweeping glance, “but I’m with you, so that’s something.” Mercedes smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. “So,” Kurt began, leaning an elbow on the table and resting his chin upon his hand, “tell me about Sam!”

xoxoxo

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into this,” Blaine groaned, shoving his foot into a boot that he was sure was a half-size too small. “You don’t get to book gigs for us on your own anymore.”

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad,” Sam defended, buttoning up his shirt as he stood before a full-length mirror. He tilted his head this way and that, then undid the top three buttons. “You’ve been in a funk ever since,” he paused, catching Blaine’s eye in the mirror, “ever since you broke up with ‘You Know Who.’ The best way to get out of a funk is to do something new, dude. Or _someone,_ ” he added with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Sam,” Blaine sighed tiredly.

“Okay, okay,” Sam put his hands up in surrender. He’d been trying to get Blaine out for months, and he didn’t want to chase him back to the apartment and his sweatpants by pushing too hard. “Just do it for me, okay? I invited Mercedes to come hear us tonight.”

“Oh, really?” Blaine teased. “It’s about time. She’s all you’ve talked about for the past couple of weeks.” Blaine stood and went over to the mirror, bumping Sam aside to claim some mirror for himself and adjust his bolo tie. “Good for you, Sam.” 

“A bolo tie?” Sam side-eyed his reflection.

“I figured a bowtie wouldn’t be right,” Blaine explained before realizing Sam was messing with him. “Shut up and let’s go,” he laughed, grabbing his guitar and heading towards the stage.

xoxoxo

Their set was going well, if the enthusiastic applause from the crowd was anything to go by. Mercedes couldn’t take her eyes off of Sam, and the blonde singer certainly sent his fair share of heated glances her way, too. Kurt barely noticed, though, his own attentions being captured by Sam’s singing partner. The white Western-style shirt with turquoise embroidery was one Kurt likely would have found gauche, but on Blaine (he’d introduced himself at the beginning of their show), it worked. Kurt was pretty sure this guy could wear a trash bag like a designer original. 

And as for his voice? Kurt may not have known any of the songs, but Blaine’s voice was perfect. Oh, wait, that perfect voice was speaking…

“Thanks again, ladies and gents, for putting up with me and my friend here tonight,” he joked. “Before we go on break, I’m going to do one more song by special request.” 

Blaine nudged Sam with his guitar to catch his attention, jerking his head towards Mercedes and mouthing the word “go.” Sam’s eyes went wide, but he quickly slipped the guitar strap over his head and set the instrument down, hopping off the stage. He approached the table and held out his hand. “Um, would you like to dance?” he asked nervously.

Mercedes giggled – actually giggled, and Kurt would mock her for that later – then took Sam’s hand and followed him to the small dance floor where several other couples had been taking advantage of the music. 

Blaine smiled at the couple from his place in the spotlight. “This one’s for all you lovers out there,” he announced. Kurt’s breath caught in his throat when Blaine locked eyes with him as he started to play.

_Baby lock the door and turn the lights down low  
Put some music on that’s soft and slow  
Baby we ain’t got no place to go  
I hope you understand  
  
I’ve been thinking ‘bout this all day long  
Never felt a feeling quite this strong  
I can’t believe how much it turns me on  
Just to be your man_

xoxoxo

Kurt was flabbergasted. Was this stranger – this gorgeous stranger, to be sure, but still – really singing a song about, well, _that_ , to him? He wasn’t sure if it was wildly inappropriate or really hot. Or both.

Blaine brought the song to a close with an appropriate guitar flourish, taking his bow at the applause he received. “We’ll be back in a bit. Don’t y’all go nowhere,” he added with an exaggerated twang and a wink in Kurt’s direction.

Sam brought Mercedes back to the table. They stopped a few feet away, holding hands and talking closely, reluctant to part. As happy as Kurt was for his friend, he suddenly felt very much the third wheel. He was about to pull Mercedes aside for a moment to ask her privately if she wanted him to get lost, when he heard a warm voice beside him. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

Kurt turned and lifted his eyes to see Blaine standing with his hand on the back of Mercedes’ vacant chair. He felt his cheeks flush and hoped the bar lighting was dim enough to disguise it. “Uh, no, not at the moment,” he answered, gesturing for Blaine to sit.

A waitress stopped by and took their drink orders, then they were alone again. “I’m Blaine,” the singer introduced, offering his hand. 

“Kurt,” he returned, shaking his hand. “You guys were great up there,” he complimented.

“Oh! Thank you,” Blaine replied sincerely. “Country isn’t really my wheelhouse, but Sam wanted to try it, so,” he shrugged, taking a sip of his drink.

“I guess you’re a natural then.” Kurt sipped his own drink, desperately trying to calm the nerves that were bubbling up. It had clearly been too long since he’d flirted with a cute guy if he was this bad at it. All he had to do was not say anything stupid. “So, do you always sing sex songs to strangers?” he blurted.

Oh.

Blaine spluttered as he nearly choked on his drink. Kurt babbled an incoherent string of apologies, simultaneously shoving stacks of napkins at Blaine and patting him on the back to stop him from coughing. After a few seconds, Blaine regained his composure and waved a hand to calm Kurt. 

“Dude, he’s got you there.” The voice from behind Kurt startled him, and he jumped in his seat. Sam and Mercedes came around, pulling two chairs over from another table.

“I’m sorry, what?” Kurt asked, confused.

“Well, there was this one time in high school. Blaine had a crush on this guy at The Gap, and…”

“Sam!” Blaine interrupted fiercely, reaching across the table and clutching Sam’s arm. 

“All right, all right. I’ll shut up,” Sam laughed, prying Blaine’s fingers from his forearm. He leaned towards Kurt and stage-whispered, “I’ll totally tell you later.”

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Kurt, meet my former best friend and ex-singing partner, Sam Evans,” he said drily. 

“Pleasure,” Kurt nodded in Sam’s direction, barely holding back a chuckle. “And this is my good friend and diva extraordinaire, Miss Mercedes Jones.”

The group chatted a while over drinks until Sam and Blaine had to go back on stage for their next set. 

“It’s been so nice meeting you, Kurt,” Blaine said, lightly taking Kurt’s hand between both of his own. “I hope you’ll stay around for our second set? I’d like to talk to you some more – maybe walk you home?”

Kurt couldn’t help but sing his response, “Baby, we ain’t got no place to go.”

As soon as Kurt and Mercedes were alone again, she leaned over and whispered, “So I take it you’re a country fan now?”

“Yee haw,” Kurt whispered back, sending them both into a fit of giggles. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song prompt: Your Man by Josh Turner. I read the lyrics and was like, “No! A s-e-x-y song! I can’t write that!” Next thing I knew, Blaine was singing an inappropriate serenade and Kurt was somewhere between besotted and appalled. The rest is history.


	11. My Guy

“NO!!”

“Blaine?” Kurt called from down the hall. When he received no reply, he hurried from the spare bedroom to the living room, momentarily fearful of what awful thing had happened to make Blaine cry out like that.

Of the scenarios he had managed to invent on the short walk, none came close to what he found. Blaine was kneeling on the floor next to a box in the corner – a box that was soaking wet.

“Oh, no,” Kurt said under his breath, knowing what the box contained. Blaine had been working for two weeks on Valentine’s Day cards for all of the 30 students in his kindergarten class. He was so excited to hand them out in class the next day, and had been talking about little else. “What happened?” Kurt asked, crossing the room and crouching down next to his husband.

“Our stupid manager didn’t fix the stupid roof, that’s what happened,” Blaine ranted, pointing upwards. Sure enough, water was dripping from the ceiling. “When I get a hold of him,” Blaine growled, beginning to rise. Kurt was immediately beside him, a hand on his chest to stop him from storming out the front door and paying a visit to the manager’s office. 

“We’ll send him an e-mail, Blaine. We do everything in writing from now on.” It wasn’t the first issue they’d had in this apartment, and they’d filed multiple complaints with the building owner. Their lease was up in two months, and they were already searching for a new place in case they couldn’t get satisfaction here. 

Unfortunately, that didn’t change the fact that all of Blaine’s hard work had been ruined.

Blaine stared at Kurt for a minute, then deflated as his initial anger dissipated. “You’re right. But Kurt,” he added sadly, “what am I gonna do? I promised my kids that they’d all get a Valentine from me. I can’t let them down!”

Kurt leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “You won’t. Do you still have supplies left?”

“I’ve got some things, but not enough of everything,” Blaine replied.

Kurt clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together. “Okay. You go get your remaining stuff. I’ll go pull some things from my craft room. I’ll meet you back at the kitchen table.”

“Kurt,” Blaine protested. “You can’t seriously think we’re going to make 30 Valentines in one night?”

“I don’t think it. I know it,” Kurt retorted. “I can’t have your kids thinking any less of their favorite teacher, can I?” He gave Blaine a “boop” on the nose and rushed back to the spare room to get his crafting supplies. 

Blaine headed towards the closet where he’d stored his extra supplies. As he opened the door, he paused. “Wait,” he muttered to himself. “I’m their _only_ teacher…”

xoxoxo

Four hours and several bottles of glue and glitter later, Blaine flopped back in his chair and exhaled. “I can’t believe it,” he declared, looking over the table where thirty perfect Valentines now sat in neat stacks. 

Kurt smirked proudly, spinning a glue stick between his fingers. “How could you ever have doubted me?” he teased.

Blaine smiled softly, leaning forward and placing his hand over Kurt’s where it now lay on the table. “I never did, and I never will. Thank you so, so much, Kurt. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Kurt leaned in further and kissed Blaine gently on the lips. “You’re welcome, sweetie. Now, let’s get this cleaned up and get to bed, okay?” he said with a wink.

“I like the way you think,” Blaine answered. The two rose from the table and quickly realized they had a problem. “Um, Blaine?”

“What the?” Blaine said at the same time. He tried releasing Kurt’s hand, but he couldn’t. It’s like they were…

“Oh, good lord,” Kurt chuckled. “Blaine, did you have _glue_ all over your hand?”

Blaine looked up sheepishly and shrugged.

Kurt shook his head in exasperation. It was only craft glue, so he knew there wasn’t any danger. They simply needed to wash it off in the sink. Tugging Blaine behind him, he crossed over to the sink and turned on the tap. As they ran their hands under the water, Blaine started to hum.

It took Kurt a few bars to recognize the tune. “Don’t you dare,” he warned. He knew he’d lost when he saw the mischievous glint in Blaine’s eye.

“Nothing you could do, ‘cause I’m stuck like glue to my guy,” Blaine sang cheekily. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Kurt interjected, faking annoyance as he lathered up with more soap. Their hands were no longer attached, but now he was peeling bits of dried glue from their fingers. 

“I’m sticking to my guy like a stamp to a letter, like birds of a feather we…”

Blaine paused, staring at Kurt expectantly. “We…” he repeated, bumping Kurt’s hip with his own.

Kurt finally broke, a grin splitting his face as he finished with, “...stick together.”

Blaine took a hand towel and wiped both of their hands dry before winding his arms around Kurt’s waist. Kurt rested his arms on Blaine’s shoulders in a well-practiced position. They swayed in the kitchen while Blaine sang on. 

“I’m tellin’ you from the start, I can’t be torn apart from my guy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: My Guy by Mary Wells. I like cute, silly Klaine. 


	12. Your Love Is a Song

_I hear you breathing in  
Another day begins_

On most mornings, Blaine woke up first. More often than not, he was curled into Kurt’s body in some manner, either with his head on Kurt’s chest, an arm across his waist, a leg draped over him – so long as they were touching, Blaine was happy. He was a bit of a koala when he slept.

Kurt, on the other hand, was usually flat on his back, body loose and relaxed. When they first began sharing a bed, Blaine had noticed the difference in their sleep positions and wondered if he was being too clingy. Worse than that, he started to wonder if Kurt’s lack of cuddling was a sign that Kurt didn’t really care for him. One particularly bad morning, he brought the topic up to a very confused Kurt, who pulled him close. “Silly boy,” Kurt had chided him. “You know, when I was younger, I always slept on my side, usually in the fetal position. It was like even in my sleep, I felt the need to protect myself from the world. But now,” he continued, caressing Blaine’s cheek, “I feel safe and protected. I can truly relax and be calm with you next to me. _That_ is how much I love you.”

Blaine cherished the moments in the early light when he was awake while Kurt slept on. Some days, he would use the time to get up and make a nice breakfast for the two of them. Other times, like today, he’d stay put, holding Kurt and allowing himself to marvel in the knowledge that he loved and was loved. 

He always felt the instant that Kurt began to stir. He’d wait for the sound – one sharp intake of breath through the nose marked the moment that Kurt joined him in greeting the new day ahead. In his first minutes of wakefulness, Kurt would wind his arms around Blaine, returning the embrace that had comforted him in his sleep. 

_Another day begins._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one today, but I hope you like it. Song Prompt: Your Love Is a Song by Switchfoot


	13. Glory of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Knights in shining armor? A castle far away? Sounds like it’s time for an audience with the Snow King. If you haven’t read my Snow King verse, I invite you to check it out!

He should have known it couldn’t last. 

The first rumblings reached Kurt’s ears a few weeks after the Festival of Hearts. They were rumors, really – whispers and overheard half-truths, but if they were true…

Over the next few days, Kurt kept in close contact with his head of intelligence. Elliott was smart, loyal, and just the right kind of cunning to be an invaluable resource to his king. The information he provided was far from promising. 

As the gossip and chatter began to coalesce into a very real threat, he knew the time for action was at hand. He assembled his most trusted advisors to begin strategizing and preparing for what was to come.

“Your Highness?”

Huddled over the table and listening intently as one of the advisors pointed out something on a map, Kurt didn’t notice the first time he was called. 

“Your Highness.” A pause. “Kurt!”

His head snapped up at the sound of his first name. Blaine stood in the doorway, his countenance a mixture of hesitance and exasperation. “My apologies, gentlemen,” he greeted, bowing to those assembled at the table, “but I require a moment of His Majesty’s time, if I may.”

Kurt excused himself, saying something quietly to the group before leaving the table. He indicated with a nod of his head that Blaine should follow him as he exited to a small, private anteroom. With the large solid door shut behind him, he turned to Blaine.

“Why so formal, Blaine? You know I hate it when you call me that,” he asked, reaching for Blaine’s hand and frowning when Blaine carefully pulled his hand away.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate to address you by your given name in front of your advisors,” Blaine answered, clasping his hands in front of him, “and to be honest, I don’t need to speak with Kurt. I need to speak with the King.”

Kurt continued to frown, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

“When were you going to tell me?” Blaine asked, his voice laced with a coldness Kurt hadn’t heard before.

“Blaine,” Kurt implored. 

“When were you going to tell me that you were planning a battle against the South because of me?” Blaine’s eyes flashed with an emotion Kurt had only witnessed when Blaine spoke of his father.

“I was going to tell you, but I couldn’t. Not yet,” Kurt replied.

“Oh, well _that_ explains everything. Thank you so much!” Blaine exclaimed sarcastically, throwing his arms in the air and starting to pace around the room.

Kurt was a patient man, and knew this would be an emotional issue for Blaine, but he was not above being perturbed by his tone. “You would do well to remember yourself in the presence of your King,” he snapped. If Blaine wanted to address him as his king, then Kurt would act like it.

Blaine halted his pacing and shot a look across the room. “Come off it, Kurt. You’ve known for days about this, I’ll bet. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” 

Kurt took another deep breath. Sniping at one another wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “Come. Sit with me,” he offered quietly, crossing to a small couch under a window and giving Blaine an expectant stare.

Blaine sighed and complied with Kurt’s request. Much to Kurt’s relief, he sat close enough that their knees were touching. 

“Just so you know,” Blaine explained, “none of your people betrayed you. I didn’t find out from them. I still have a few friends within the Southern borders.”

“Very well. What do you know? I will supplement your knowledge with all the information I have.”

Blaine stared blankly ahead, as if he was seeing something much farther away than the opposite wall. “An attack is coming. My father is assembling the army, and is preparing to march on the Northern border.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “They’re coming for me. I am to be returned to the South, dead or alive.”

The information had been horrible when Kurt first learned of it. Hearing the words fall from Blaine’s own mouth was nearly unbearable.

“Your information matches mine. Of course, I have more details on troop numbers, locations, and so on, but that’s it, in a nutshell. The only thing I don’t exactly know is, why?” Kurt furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand. Your father cast you out of his kingdom. He set out traps to capture you if you tried to return. Why try to forcibly bring you back now?”

“That’s easy,” Blaine scoffed. “Because of me, or more accurately,” he corrected, turning his gaze to meet Kurt’s, “because of _us_.”

“You mean…” Realization struck Kurt like lightning. Of course. The Festival of Hearts.

“Word got back to my father of our attachment,” Blaine explained. “It was one thing to know of my inclinations himself. I was a disgrace to him, so he banished me. He probably figured I’d be dead before I could make it anywhere safe.” Kurt put his hand, palm side up, on Blaine’s knee. Without hesitation, Blaine took it this time, intertwining their fingers. 

“With me removed from his kingdom, he hoped no one would ever find out about the dishonor I’d brought upon the family.”

Kurt squeezed his hand. “There is not a dishonorable bone in your body, my Prince,” he said forcefully.

Blaine gave a small smile. “Well, be that as it may, once he, and the rest of the kingdoms, learned that I was not only alive, but romancing the Snow King, he decided that the only way to defend the family name was to eliminate me – permanently.”

“He shall not touch you. I swear that to you,” Kurt vowed. 

Blaine sighed. “Kurt, this isn’t your fight. This isn’t your kingdom’s fight. I should be the one to deal with this.” 

“It is _our_ fight, Blaine. Yours, mine, and all of the North Kingdom’s,” Kurt protested. “You are a part of me, a part of us now. Your honor is as our own, and we will fight for you,” he pledged emphatically.

Blaine’s eyes shone with unshed tears. Never in his entire life had he felt so loved and cherished. One matter still troubled him, however. He withdrew his hand and stood proudly, every inch a prince.

“If there is to be a fight, I will not sit idly by. I can’t hide behind the castle’s walls while you and others defend me, Kurt,” he stated firmly.

Kurt nodded and rose to stand beside him. “You are right. I should have included you from the outset. I was so worried about protecting you that I lost sight of the fact that you are more than capable of defending yourself,” he admitted. “But you will need our help. Your father is sending his army, Blaine, not merely a single soldier.”

“I know. But you will need my help, too. I trained with the captain of the guard. Part of my duties as prince was to oversee matters involving the army. Which means…”

“You know all their tactics,” Kurt finished, eyes going wide. This was exactly the edge they needed. “Come,” he ordered, taking Blaine by the wrist and pulling him towards the door. “We have much to do and very little time in which…”

Blaine tugged against him, stopping just shy of the door. Kurt turned back and suddenly had Blaine’s arm around his waist. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Thank you for loving me, and protecting me, and fighting for me.”

Kurt smiled, pressing a kiss to his lips. “Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Prompt: Glory of Love by Peter Cetera. Posting this very, very late, but I wanted to get it right. And I may have fallen asleep in the middle of writing (it was a long day). 


	14. Love on Top

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last day. Here we go, kids. This one’s for roxymusicandlayers, who eerily predicted the story in advance.

Being a barista gave Kurt a very specific kind of education, and it wasn’t just in how to make the perfect cappuccino. His job also made for great people-watching. 

He’d learned to identify different types of customers during his time behind the counter. There were the students trying to push through a paper or project, pounding shots of espresso and always with ear buds in place to block out all ambient noise. There were the startup small business owners, holding investment meetings over chai tea because their only office space was an Ikea desk in their studio apartment. There were Tuesday morning mom groups and old friend reunions, not to mention the early morning business regulars and coffee run interns.

Then there was _him_. Every Saturday morning for two months, there he’d been. His name was Blaine – one perk to being a barista was the instant acquisition of the first name of cute guys – and he was perfect. Well, Kurt supposed he wasn’t actually perfect. After all, if he were perfect, he wouldn’t be there every Saturday morning with his boyfriend, would he?

Kurt tried not to moon over Blaine too much. There was no point expending his emotional energy on someone unavailable. It was a difficult task, though. How could he not be charmed by his impeccable manners, his bold-colored but timeless clothes, often finished off with a bow tie, not to mention his stunning hazel eyes and classically-styled hair? 

Yeah, Kurt had it bad.

This particular Saturday morning started off like all of the others. Kurt was busy and hadn’t realized it was time for Blaine and what’s-his-name (he knew his name from his orders, but refused to use it in his head) would arrive. Today, however, the door swung open and Blaine entered alone. 

He looked tired. Or was he sad, perhaps? He was dressed more casually than usual, his normal fitted cardigan and polo shirt replaced by a t-shirt and hoodie atop jeans and sneakers. 

“Good morning, welcome to City Bean. My name is Kurt. Can I take your order?” Kurt greeted him with the company standard line. 

Blaine gave him a wan smile. “Hi. I’ll have, um, a medium drip, I guess and…no, that’s it,” he replied, meeting Kurt’s eye only briefly before dropping his gaze to the counter and sighing. 

That was odd. Yes, the drink order was the same, but Blaine always got the pastry of the day to go with it. 

“Can I get you anything else, perhaps?” Kurt prompted. He knew it was silly to be this invested in a total stranger, but he’d seen Blaine enough to realize something was very wrong. He wondered if it had anything to do with his lack of a coffee companion today.

Blaine shook his head “no,” without looking up. 

Kurt pursed his lips and rang up the order. Blaine paid, and Kurt asked his next standard question: “The name for your order?”

At that, Blaine lifted his head. “Nobody,” he answered blankly. 

“I’m sorry?” Kurt asked.

“The name on the cup. Just put “Nobody,” Blaine repeated. Kurt saw that his eyes were becoming glassy and his voice cracked on the last word. It broke his heart, and he guessed he wasn’t the only one whose heart was broken right now. He made a snap decision.

“We’re piloting a new program today for table service. If you have a seat, I’ll bring your order to you,” he explained, lying through his teeth. Blaine frowned in confusion, but shrugged and wandered over to a table in the corner, sitting down and staring at his hands in his lap.

“Jules?” Kurt called to his fellow barista. “I’m going to make this one and then take my lunch break, okay?” Jules nodded and switched places with him.

Quickly preparing the simple medium drip, he slipped out from behind the counter and walked it over to Blaine’s table, clearing his throat discretely after a few seconds when Blaine didn’t appear to notice his arrival.

“Oh, thanks,” he muttered, giving another small grin that was nowhere near as bright as what Kurt was used to seeing. Kurt lingered and hesitated, realizing he hadn’t thought through what to do once he got to this point. “Am I, um, supposed to tip you or something?” Blaine inquired.

“What? No! No, no. I’m sorry, I…” Here goes nothing. “May I sit for a moment?”

Blaine blinked in surprise, but gestured with his hand for Kurt to have a seat. Kurt took a seat across from him, sitting nervously on the edge of the chair. Blaine was looking at him expectantly. 

“I know this is probably really strange and weird and probably borderline creepy, but I don’t mean to be. It’s only that you came in here today and you don’t seem like yourself – not that I really _know_ you, I mean, I’ve only seen you what, four or five times? But being here, watching people, you get to know them in a certain way, and from what I’ve seen of you, it seems like something’s wrong or you’re upset or sad or something, and I thought maybe you needed help or a friend or someone to talk to and I wanted to help if I could but you probably think I’m crazy so…”

“My boyfriend dumped me yesterday,” Blaine blurted out, interrupting Kurt’s ramblings. 

Kurt gasped in shock. “He what?”

“Don’t make me say it again,” Blaine groaned.

“I’m sorry, no, of course, I’m sorry,” Kurt rushed, reaching a hand out and tentatively resting it on top of Blaine’s. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Blaine scoffed as if that were the dumbest question in the world. He withdrew his hand, fiddling with the lid on his coffee while Kurt waited patiently. “He’s heading to law school in California. That wasn’t a surprise. I knew he’d applied at a number of schools on both sides of the country, but he finally made his choice. What I hadn’t counted on was him telling me that it was time for us to break up – not because of the move,” Blaine paused, sniffling quietly and trying to maintain his composure. 

“He’s got big plans, he said. His father is some high-powered attorney and has been grooming him for politics for years now. He said…he said…”

“Blaine,” Kurt consoled, offering a handkerchief. 

Blaine thanked him, but waved him off. Clearing his throat, he went on, “He said that it was time he found someone he could seriously consider having as a partner. He needed someone with the right status and position in life, and that although we’d had some fun, when it all came down to it, I was…nobody. Hence,” he held up his cup and turned it to read the word he’d told Kurt to write. 

His eyes softened and he smiled, less sadly this time, when he saw what was actually written there – his own name, followed by a sketch of a smiling stick figure sporting a bow tie. “Kurt,” he murmured, obviously touched.

Kurt was certain his heart did a little somersault at hearing Blaine say his name for the first time. “You are not now, nor have you ever been, a nobody, Blaine. That guy is a fool, but if that’s the way he feels, I’m glad he broke up with you.”

“Gee, thanks,” Blaine deadpanned.

“I’m serious,” Kurt protested. “If all he wants is some status symbol on his arm, you’re much better off. He’ll never be happy, and his partner won’t be, either. If you ask me, the only way a relationship works is if you have love as your top priority. Any other way, and you’re doomed to fail.”

They sat quietly for a moment. Kurt hoped he hadn’t overstepped, but he couldn’t help himself. He’d always had strong feelings about love.

“Well, then,” Blaine began, breaking the silence, “I guess I should be happy?”

Kurt smiled and shook his head. “You don’t have to be happy just yet. For now, it’s going to suck. That’s okay. But know that it’s for the best, and that with him out of your life, now you have the room for someone better – someone who will love you and cherish you, who will put you first. It’ll be worth it.”

It was Blaine who reached across the table this time, taking Kurt’s hand in his own. “Thank you,” he said simply.

“Now, how about a pastry to go with that coffee, Blaine?” Kurt offered. “We’ve got a special today. Ever had a cronut?”

Blaine laughed, the sound like music to Kurt’s ears. 

“Wait here. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Kurt reluctantly removed his hand from Blaine’s and rose from the table. “Right back,” he reminded him, rushing back behind the counter again. He had a plan.

Several minutes later, he returned carrying a small plate with a decadent cronut on it. The plate was perched atop a large coffee mug. 

“Your order, sir, on the house,” he declared, setting the cup and plate down with a flourish. 

“Thank you, but I didn’t order another drink.” Blaine gave him a bewildered smile.

“It’s my specialty.” Kurt nodded toward the cup. “Have a look.”

Blaine removed the plate from the top of the cup, revealing a latte decorated with an intricately-drawn heart design. He stared at the pattern, overcome with emotion at Kurt’s kindness. Kurt leaned down, placing a gentle hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “Always remember, put the love on top.”

Two years later, when Blaine proposed to Kurt, it was no surprise that he’d chosen an engagement ring with two small hearts engraved in the center – a symbol of their eternal promise to keep the love on top.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song prompt: Love on Top by Beyoncé. That’s year six of the Valentine’s challenge in the books for me. Thank you so much to everyone who has read along for the past two weeks. (If you’ve left a comment that I haven’t responded to, please be patient. I’m behind in my replies, but I will answer every single one.) My thanks to the lovely, dedicated folks at the Klaine CrissColfer Library for organizing the challenge once again this year. Also, a special shout-out to Catcat85, who somehow became my marathon running partner in this endeavor. We did it! 
> 
> It’s been a rough 12 months for us all, regardless of who you are or where you live. Like many of you, I’ve read a lot of fanfiction to give myself a break from the seemingly endless stress of the world. I’m thrilled and humbled to be able to contribute to the wealth of stories about our dear Kurt and Blaine.
> 
> Like Kurt, I’ve rambled on long enough, so I shall close by wishing you all well. Be kind to yourselves and to one another.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first new work I’ve written and posted since last year’s Valentine’s challenge, so forgive me if I’m rusty. It’s good to be home.


End file.
